Burning in Red
by Calicocaptain
Summary: A lifetime of hated can force even the most sterling souls to tarnish. Multipart story on Blake and Adam.


Burning in Red

Chapter 1

The world was not kind to the likes of the Faunus, considered inferior to humans they were quickly hunted down and enslaved. Those who resisted human rule were killed without trial or evidence. Viewed as mere animals they were bought and sold at auction similar to other livestock, chained together they were forced to work in the mountains mining Dust for their each meal. Slaughtered for sport and massacred by the hundreds as a means of discouraging resistance the Faunus learned quickly that in order to survive they would have to run or fight the human scourge. Men found guilty of conspiring with the Faunus were thrown in jail while women were drug out into the center of the town and shaved bald. Their clothes would be shredded by the vicious crowds and their houses would be vandalized.

Chased from one end of the kingdoms to the other the Faunus had taken to hiding in the forests away from the humans were countless more were killed by the hordes of Grimm that constantly swarmed the perimeter of civilization. The Faunus were caught in a deadly vice, humans on one side and Grimm on the other.

Facing this, some Faunus hid inside the cities. Living on the streets and in subway tunnels they got by on what they could steal or acquire from the few kind people they interacted with. Those living and interacting with humans had to hide their heritage and disguise any signs of their true identity. Several Faunus were able to completely hide their nature are were able to own a job and have a house to live in. Blake had been born in such an environment, her parents couldn't risk going to a hospital so she was born inside the house she spent her first life in.

All was fine until the humans found out they had been living next to Faunus. Blake had been in her bedroom at the back of the house while her parents had been in the kitchen close to the front door. A horrific crash was heard as the brick sailed through the window next to the door. The mass of people outside quickly stormed in and dragged Blake's parents out into the street, their clothes were ripped off and a mock trial was held. Having been found guilty of being subhuman they were both shot and their bodies drenched in fuel. Bottles filled with gasoline with flaming rags jammed in the openings were hurled through the windows and open doorway. Within minutes the peaceful home was engulfed in flames. The malevolent crowd cheered as fire poured out of the openings, licking its way up the side of the house until the roof erupted in flames. Once the siding had been scorched off the skeleton of the house remained for a little while before the heat weakened the trusses holding the frame together. Whistles and applause were heard over the tremendous roar of the house collapsing on itself.

By the time firefighters had arrived on scene the former residence of the Belladonna family was little more than a pile of rubble and ash. After the crowd of humans dispersed a quiet came over the area, the only audible noise being the soft hiss of the water from the fire crews dripping onto red hot metal. A woman walking by also heard very faint crying, too faint for any human to hear. The woman pulled her hat low and rushed off for the subway, she returned a short while later with a young boy in tow.

Whispering softly and pointing the woman directly the boy into the debris, climbing on the charred remnants produced unnerving sounds of creaks and cracks in the weakened wood. Working through the tunnels and caves created when the house collapsed the boy found the source of the faint whimpering. A little girl, perhaps a year younger than himself was trapped in the narrow opening formed by a collapsed bookshelf striking the headboard of her bed. Her face was covered in soot and clean streaks ran down her cheeks where her tears had carried away the ash.

"Hey now don't cry." The boy said softly, the voice surprised Blake and she looked around to see where it had come from. "Come with me." The boy encouraged the girl who wiped her eyes to examine him. He had a scar running from his forehead over his left eye across his nose and down onto his cheek, his bright red hair was dark with soot and his clothes had been stained black. Blake also the small horns on the edges of his temples.

"Who are you?" Blake asked sliding back against the edge of the bookshelf.

"My name is Adam, you can come with me. My mom will take care of you."

"Where's my mom?"

"I don't know but my mom will help you find them." Adam said encouragingly, he reached a hand out and Blake sat for a moment thinking. Looking around she grabbed the book her mother would read to her before bed and crawled over towards the boy. He helped her up onto the piece of wall he had been kneeling on and led her out of the rubble to the woman waiting outside. The lady wiped their faces with her scarf before taking a child in each hand and walking back to the subways.

The lady took Blake to the room Adam lived in, after cleaning them both she instructed Adam to watch over Blake and help her if she needed anything. She then walked down the narrow hallway to a much larger room where several adults were gathered. Adam had gone to get Blake some water and on the way back he overheard the adults discussing what had happened.

"Are you crazy Willow? Taking Adam out in public like that."

"I know but he was the only one small enough to fit through the wreckage."

"Yes, and if the humans found out there had been another Faunus in that house they would have rolled over it with bulldozers!"

"Which is why I had to get her out of there."

"Where are her parents?"

"They were burned with the house. She is the only one left and she has nothing!" Adam hurried back to his room and helped Blake with the water, he placed a couple small bandages on her arms were she had gotten cut crawling out of the debris.

"Thank you, where are my parents." Adam looked into the girls huge golden eyes, filled with hope and edged in confusion.

"I don't know, but my mom is going to find them and take you back to them. I promise."

Willow returned a short time later to check on them, when Blake asked about her parents she replied that she was going to look for them tomorrow and that for the night she should try to get some rest. She tucked Adam and Blake both in and read Blake a story from the book Blake was still holding before turning out the light and closing the door.

 **All the events that the humans do to the Faunus are taken from real history, and some of it not that long ago. This will be a multipart series on Blake and Adam, and an attempt to explain what made Adam the way he is currently. Please review, I look forward to hearing what you think of this idea.**


End file.
